Sometimes I wonder if SARFT releases decrees and suggestions and the Chinese networks give a collective shrug and go back to their regularly scheduled programming. A little over a month ago SARFT issued a suggestive letter that it wished all networks aired dramas during the Summer months of July through October that promoted “the Chinese dream” (whatever that means), leading the media to predict all the period dramas would get shelved during that period to make way for modern fare. We’re headed into July and the period drama blackout doesn’t appear to be in the works. The fantasy wuxia drama Ancient Sword Fantasy(古剑奇谭) based on a best-selling RPG video game will be hitting the airwaves on Hunan Television in the prime time slot starting July 2nd. It’s not an understatement to call it the most star-packed idol drama in history with the cast of Li Yi Feng, Yang Mi, Zheng Shuang, Gillian Chung, Qiao Zheng Yu, Ma Tian Yu, Zhang Meng, Chen Zi Han, Gao Wei Guang, Qi Wei, Jia Qing, Li Xiao Lu, and many more. I’m being serious in saying I genuinely don’t know how many familiar faces are going pop up here. I’ve never been a fan of fantasy wuxia, I like my wuxia serious and straight up, and two years ago even the combination of Liu Shi Shi and Hu Ge couldn’t make the fantasy wuxia drama Xuan Yuan Sword any less craptastic. I’m expecting nothing from this other than a straight up forty hour long RPG music video without the music and with plenty of actors and actresses I like well enough. For my boy Li Yi Feng I will watch anything even if I might not stick with it. Check out the English-subbed trailer, the just released official theme song MV, and a bevy of super colorful drama stills below.

Took me no less than 5 attempts and plenty of drama goodwill from other Hu Ge and Shi Shi dramas before I managed to force myself through one of their fantasy wuxia dramas. I just don’t get that genre.

About the only thing worse and more boring than Taiwan dramas is mainland Chinese ones. Aside from martial arts movies, they can pretty much only make two types over there, period pieces filled with lots of pretty costumes and bad overacting, or modern fluffy pieces with over the top sugary bad overacting.

That’s probably because you only pay attention to those two genres. Mainland China produced the most number of TV episodes out of any country in the world last year. There’s loads of other dramas- serious historical, spy and world war II centered, lifestyle/family, dramas that tend to address modern day issues (eg. care of the elderly, the current tense doctor-patient medical environment, young couples struggling to make ends meet under the pressure of large city living etc).

I agree with Amyranth. There are lots of other genres; but the ones that get English subbed by fans are often very similar. Three Kingdoms series (by director Gao Xixi) was quite good. But there are many Romance, Drama, Comedy series. Some decent 2014 series: Life Revelation starring Hu Ge, Yan Ni; If You Were Deceived by Life (Lu Yi, Wu Yue); First Wedding Anniversary (Li Dongxue). In Love for 10 years (Deng Chao, Gao Hu, Dong Jie) currently broadcasting also looks ok. Though directors often like to have a lot of contrasting characters, so they often include at least 1 pig-headed older relative that could be loud/obnoxious.

If you don’t like it maybe it is because you don’t understand this type of stories and you don’t have a chinese cultural backgroung.
This type of drama is directed to Young chinese people (more less 12-20) and they are really popular among them. Normally adults prefer other genres (there are a lot of them)
I must admit that some parts of the series was quite crappy like Yang Mi’s weapon but this was done from a game not a book. Also the magic movements were scarce in comparison with some others.

I loved the series, just finished catching up on it, it’s seriously aimed at a different audience than Koala’s readers though, it asks for a suspension of belief that I’m willing to give for the fun of it.

One complaint I do have is I came for the fun, but the end tore my heart out and stomped on it, seriously I just wanted a bit of silly fun, who told you to add so much heart to this???? I was in tears…

I second this motion. I about died at the ending…what game has an ending like that seriously!??!? Why would you do that to the poor hearts of your viewers. It just eats at your soul and pulls you along into the dark vortex of pain T_T

Although I do admit…it was a nice way to go. No big blubbery messes or dragging on the storyline to attempt a sequel and all that jazz.